Thursday, October 29, 2009

Breaking Wind

Since we arrived in Singapore, my tummy has been going crazy. I've sure it's a fun combination of jet lag, stress, culture shock and the fact that my tummy is always my Achilles heel. Nonetheless, I am in Asia and I wanted to try some alternatives to going back on any prescriptions.

A couple of my friends out here tried a Chinese Medicine doctor so I thought "why not?" His office is in Chinatown and it's right by our hotel. It was a tiny little store in the sort of 'mall' of Chinatown Pointe. I just sat next to the doctors desk and told him what I had been feeling in my stomach. Then he took my pulse for quite a few minutes, one arm at a time. During this, he only broke the silence once to say, "You are under a lot of stress," to which I replied, "YES."

After that he told me I have what the Chinese call "wind" in my stomach. I need to get the wind out. Also my kidneys are very tired. All that from taking my pulse. It was really interesting.

We went to the front desk and I was given tablets and a bottle of black liquid that I was to take 3 times a day. The medicine is hideous. Completely disgusting and I hate taking it with a passion. I call it "my yuckies." But I gotta say that in the four doses I've taken since last night, I feel better. My stomach has calmed down a lot. I ate more today then I've been able to eat the whole trip. Plus I just feel more energize in general. Plus, it was only $22! That sure beats the heck out of any medical bill I've gotten in the last year . . . or EVER.